Patent GB-1035847-A (GB)
Title: Improvements in coupling apparatus for traction vehicles
IPC: B62D53/04
Filed: 1963-10-14
Abstract: 1,035,847. Rail vehicle combined buffer and draw gear; alternative road and rail wheels. WHITING CORPORATION. Oct. 14, 1963 [Feb. 7, 1963], No. 40379/63. Headings B7D, B7H and B7T. A four-wheel drive I.C. engined traction vehicle 10 has rail wheels 13, 14, Figs. 1, 11, driven by non-slip differentials, road wheels 16, 17 lowerable by cylinders such as 16b to raise the wheels 13, 14 from the rails, and ribbed hubs 13a on the wheels 13 for engagement with the treads of the road wheels, the road wheels being so driven only when they are in the lowered or road travelling position. The draw gear which may be operated to transfer a portion of the weight of the rail car 82 to the vehicle 10 comprises, a centrally longitudinal rigid cranked arm 18, Figs. 1, 2, 3, 4, swingable horizontally and vertically about pins 19, 21, a cylinder 25 swivel jointed to the arm 18 and the frame of the tractor 10 producing movement of the arm in a vertical plane, a tubular beam 30, Figs. 3, 4, swingable in a horizontal plane about a pin 35 in a U-shaped portion 31 of arm 18, and telescopic end caps 37, 38 movable by cylinders 46, 47 providing seat members 39, 40 having configurations 41, 42 in lift and thrust engagement with an end sill 45 of the car. A cylinder 48, Fig. 1, secured to the arm 18 and the beam 30 is provided to pivot the beam. A second cranked arm 50 receiving the forward end of arm 18 and pivoting about the pin 19 receives a beam 52 which may be pivoted about a pin 54 by a cylinder 78. A cylinder 60 may swing the arm 50 in a vertical plane, and the beam 52 has hooks 66, 69 which may be pivoted by a double-acting cylinder 72 to engage the car buffers 86, 92. In operation, the buffers of the car and tractor are brought together and link coupling 101 adjustable by a cylinder 98 is raised ready to engage the hook 79 by manually operating rods 104, 105. If necessary, the entire coupling and hooks 66, 69 may be swung by cylinder 106. The cylinders 60, 78, 72 are then actuated to swing the beam 52 to a position parallel to the sill 45 and to swing the hooks 66, 69 outwardly of the tractor, and the seats 39, 40 are then adjusted by cylinders 25, 48 until their surfaces 42 engage the end sill 45. Cylinders 60, 72 are then actuated to lower and engage the hooks 66, 69 with the buffers 86, 92, and the link 101 is lowered manually to engage with the hook 79. The cylinder 98 is then operated to tighten the coupling and bring the sill 45 into snug contact with portions 41, 42 of the seat members. Finally, cylinders 25, 60 are simultaneously actuated to transfer a portion of the weight of car 82 to the tractor. Where the transfer of weight by the seats is alone sufficient the members 50, 52, 66, 69 may be dispensed with. Alternatively, lifting could take place only under the buffers. In a modification, Figs. 6-10 (not shown), the arm 50 is removed and the beam 30 modified to support the buffers instead of the sill. The beam may, however, be provided with a pair of pusher plates engaging the front surfaces of the buffer heads. In the embodiment of Fig. 11, a beam 145 supporting the buffers 83<SP>11</SP> and 84<SP>11</SP> and a pair of pusher plates 146, 147, pivotally engages a pin 152 mounted on a rigid member 150. The member 150 is provided with arms 158 to pivot about a pin 159 and has rollers 154 which may roll along a cross-beam 155. A cylinder 157 is provided to move the member 150 and a pair of trunnions 160 are fixed to the beam 155 and pivotally secured to a pair of cylinders 161. The apparatus may also include a cylinder (not shown) between 145 and 150 for moving the beam 145 about the pivot 152. In operation, the car 82<SP>11</SP> is partly supported by the beam 145 and the cylinder 157 does not prevent pivoting about the pin 152.